Operation Freedom Paws

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Operation Freedom Paws

Operation Freedom Paws empowers veterans and others with disabilities to live a quality life. FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES: Email [email protected]

The program shall consist of but not be limited to the following services:
* provide service dogs to veterans and others with disabilities.
* assist veterans and others with disabilities to train their own service dogs
* obtain appropriate dogs from various sources including but not limited to shelters, rescue groups, and dog breeders provide ongoing support for veterans and others with disabiliti

es and their service dogs
* create a training facility and kennel.
* educate and raise awareness in the public and private sector about disabled individuals and service dog team partnerships.

23/06/2025

Mentoring Monday: “Janet & Jenny” became a certified service dog team a couple of weeks ago (YAY!) Our next hurdle, which is a big one for ALL of us us with animals, is the 4th of July. There’s a neighborhood park a couple of blocks from us, & it seems to be a favorite year-round place to set off stuff that makes loud booms. But on the 4th it’s non-stop. Last year we closed the house up, turned on every fan we own, & all hunkered down in front of the TV till the chaos died down around 2am. This year we’ve added Mutt Muffs. They just arrived, so I’m having Jenny wear them a few minutes several times a day. Over the next week I’ll increase time & frequency so she becomes comfortable in them for several hours. Fingers crossed!!

20/06/2025

Summer’s here, and while the fun begins, the heat is no joke for our four-legged companions.☀️

Here are some quick tips to keep your dog safe and cool this season:

Splash Smart – Kiddie pools and sprinklers are perfect for backyard fun
Frozen Treats – Freeze kibble + yogurt in a Kong for a refreshing snack
Walk Wisely – Early morning or late evening only! Avoid hot pavement
NEVER leave dogs in a parked car, even for a minute!
Know the signs of heatstroke – Excessive panting, red gums, disorientation
Chill Together – Movie days, shaded reading, or a doggie spa day at home

Your dog’s health and comfort matter, especially in rising temps. Stay cool, stay safe, and enjoy every sunny moment together.💚

18/06/2025

PTSD isn’t always visible, but it affects every part of a person’s life.
From sleepless nights to everyday triggers, those living with PTSD carry more than we often realize.

This PTSD Awareness Month, we’re sharing insights to help others understand the reality behind the diagnosis, and how you can help break the stigma.

PTSD is not weakness or a choice.
Those living with it deserve compassion, not judgment.
At Operation Freedom Paws, we empower individuals to reclaim their lives, one service dog team at a time.

16/06/2025

Mentoring Monday: Split-second timing is critical with dogs, including when training. For example, if you're teaching "down", verbal praise is essential the instant your dog finally goes into that nice down with the hips relaxed. If you're fumbling for a treat and reward him even seconds later, he may not associate the treat with the behavior. Instead, I personally use the word "Yes!" said with great enthusiasm in the praise voice. My dog knows when she hears "Yes!" that she's just done what I want, and a treat will quickly follow. And why don't I just have the treat in my hand, ready to give to her? Because this dog will be so focused on the treat that she will be too distracted to learn the behavior. Timing for corrections is equally critical. Dogs don't have the same kind of memory that we do, so if your dog tore something up and you just discovered it, you can't correct him for it. He won't understand why you're holding this thing in front of his face and yelling at him in a scary voice. To have the results you want, you must actually catch him in the act of tearing it up, correct him, then praise immediately when he turns away from it. If possible, set your dog up to do the improper behavior, then correct and redirect to an appropriate toy. Why? If you just give up, you’re reinforcing that bad behavior that will probably happen again. By recognizing or creating training opportunities, you can make a huge difference in your household’s peace. If you and your dog are struggling with a behavior, be sure your timing is right for both correction and praise----and find a way to ALWAYS end with praise!

13/06/2025

Save the Date!
Operation Freedom Paws proudly presents the 14th Annual Paws with Patriots Wine Gala!

Join us October 4, 2025 • 5–10PM in San Martin, CA for an evening of great food, local wine, and exciting auctions, all to support lifesaving service dog teams.

Let’s raise a glass, raise a paddle, and make a difference together! 💙

11/06/2025

PTSD affects countless lives, often silently. But healing is possible, and no one should have to face it alone.

At Operation Freedom Paws, we pair individuals living with PTSD with service dogs and guide them through a 48-week training journey. These dogs provide more than companionship — they interrupt panic attacks, create a sense of safety, and help rebuild confidence and connection.

Because with the right support, invisible wounds can begin to heal.

09/06/2025

Mentoring Monday: Do you crate your dog? Do you consider it punishment, or an opportunity for the “down time” which is necessary for every dog? I was talking to someone recently whose dog runs the fence line whenever he’s outside, barking at the dogs in the next yard. The owner’s primary goal was to stop the annoying barking, but this situation raises concerns for me about the dog’s mental and physical health, as well as the woman’s own state of mind and relationship with her neighbor. In the wild, canids expend their energy in bursts to hunt and mate. The rest of the time they're either laying quietly guarding their pack or sleeping. Domestic dogs that don't have regular down time can become irritable, nervous and fear-aggressive because their brains are constantly in a hyper-alert, overstimulated state. When people in the house are sleeping, their dog may be "on watch" protecting his pack, so that time may not be particularly restful for the dog. Giving a dog time every day to completely relax in a spot with minimal stimulation is important. Place the crate in a quiet corner, then provide a special toy or treat that is only given in the crate. This will make it a welcome refuge---like a den. In our house, we call this “snap time” (a snack and a nap.) If you crate your dog while you’re away from the house, you can keep him occupied with a mix of low-fat, unflavored Greek yogurt & kibble. Fill a hollow toy (like a Kong) with this blend and freeze it. Give the Kong to your crated dog when you leave. He’ll stay occupied licking out the healthy snack, and look forward to his next “snap time”!

06/06/2025

Do you know the difference between a service dog and a therapy dog?
They’re both amazing, but their roles, training, and legal rights are very different.

Service Dogs are individually trained to perform specific tasks that directly assist a person with a physical or mental disability, like interrupting panic attacks, guiding someone with vision loss, or providing medical alerts. They are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and have public access rights.

Therapy Dogs are not trained for specific medical tasks. Instead, they provide emotional support and comfort to many people in places like hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and disaster areas. While they do wonderful work, they are not service animals under the law and do not have public access rights.

At Operation Freedom Paws, we specialize in training service dogs, therapy dogs, and offering general dog training, empowering both people and their canine partners through trust, teamwork, and purpose.

04/06/2025

June is PTSD Awareness Month, and awareness starts with empathy.

For millions of veterans, first responders, and trauma survivors, PTSD doesn’t end when the danger passes. It lives in the everyday, in silence, in triggers, in the shadows most people never see.

So how can we help? It begins by understanding how to show up.

🚫 Don’t pity. Don’t avoid. Don’t try to “fix.”
✅ Do listen. Do respect. Do imagine what healing really looks like.

At Operation Freedom Paws, we don’t just raise awareness, we build connection. Through our 48-week program, clients train their own service dogs, rediscovering trust, strength, and purpose.

02/06/2025

Mentoring Monday: The steps to becoming an OFP-certified team challenge each of us differently. Since 2012 I have worked with three of my own service dogs, and helped to train hundreds of others. I believe the three common hurdles for every team are developing trust, improving communication, and accepting imperfection. We need to trust our dogs; to do that, we must believe in the program and trust our instructors. We must learn to communicate effectively with our dogs and with other humans. Most challenging, however, is letting go of unrealistic expectations of perfection from ourselves and our dogs. Striving for perfection is the goal of daily training. We will achieve episodes of perfection that will last hours, or only minutes. Enjoying those episodes without requiring constant flawlessness helps us develop a positive relationship with our dogs & the world around us.

Please join us today in celebrating NEAR-perfection from our three newest OFP-certified teams: Gilroy Police Officer Odell with therapy dog Maui, and service teams Janet with Jenny, and Alexsondra with Bronson!

30/05/2025

At Operation Freedom Paws, we empower our clients to take an active role in their healing by committing to a 48-week service dog training program. It’s not easy, but it’s life changing.

Every client trains their own dog.
Every program is 100% free of charge.
Every success story is made possible by people like you.

Want to help us keep changing lives?
Here’s how:

Donate Online — https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/OperationFreedomPaws
Volunteer — Be part of the team that supports our mission daily
Share Our Story — Awareness saves lives

29/05/2025

We are incredibly grateful to the Latino Family Fund for their generous support! 🙌 Their commitment to volunteerism, community leadership, and making a meaningful impact aligns beautifully with our mission at Operation Freedom Paws.

From just 19 founding members in 2006 to over 100 strong today, the Latino Family Fund continues to be a powerful force for good. Thank you for standing with us and the communities we serve. 🌟

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+14086839010

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http://www.operationfreedompaws.org/

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